Negros Occidental town records 1st coronavirus case

Marchel P. Espina

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Negros Occidental town records 1st coronavirus case
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson declares as a 'hot zone' the village in Enrique B. Magalona town where the patient lives

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Enrique B. Magalona town in Negros Occidental, north of this city, reported its first case of coronavirus

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Sunday, March 29, that the patient is a 41-year-old woman who had a travel history to Manila and Davao.

Lacon said that the patient traveled to Manila on March 1 and Davao City on March 6. She returned to the province on March 8 and went again to Manila the following day. She came home on March 14.

Five days later, on March 19, she felt feverish. After 4 days, she had a cough and difficulty breathing which prompted her to go to a hospital. 

She was supposed to be discharged from the hospital on March 28 as her condition improved, but the results of her swab samples, which were taken on March 24, also came out that day. She had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Lacson said that the patient is recovering and that a second swab test will be conducted on April 2, two weeks after the onset of the symptoms.

He said that the provincial government will conduct contact tracing to identify who had interacted with the patient.

‘Hot zone’

Lacson had also declared as a “hot zone” the village where the patient lives. He added that the area is under close monitoring.

Streets and barangays shall be declared “hot zones” if there are residents in these areas who test positive for COVID-19; become persons under investigation (PUIs) for the infectious disease; or at least 5 persons under monitoring (PUMs) live there. 

Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang said that if the village is declared a “hot zone,” residents will not be allowed to go out and nobody can also enter the area to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The local government will also supply the residents with food as the entire province will be placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine starting March 30. It will end on April 14. (READ: Poor families in Bacolod brace for coronavirus impact)

Meanwhile, Bacolod City also reported one new confirmed case of COVID-19, bringing the total cases to 5. The patient was a 28-year-old male with travel history to the United States.Rappler.com

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